The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 517 xc2xa7119 of French Patent Application No. 00/01331, filed on Jan. 31, 2000, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference thereto in its entirety.
This invention relates to an original structure enabling the reception of one or several balls, in particular game balls, notably with a view to storing or displaying the balls.
The ball-carrying structure according to this invention utilizes a supporting member fitted with at least one orifice of suitable diameter in order to accommodate one ball by a slightly forcible nesting motion.
The corresponding orifice(s) is (are generally circular in shape and their wall preferably flexible to enable reception and maintenance of the ball by slight deformation of the wall.
According to one embodiment, the ball-carrying structure utilizes a ring made of flexible material; this ring may be in the form of a partial cylinder.
According to another embodiment, the structure provides for a plate made of a flexible material of a few millimetres in thickness, fitted with at least one orifice for accommodating a ball; this plate may comprise a plurality of orifices for accommodating balls, of identical or different diameters according to the diameter of the balls to be accommodated.
The ball support may further comprise a system that enables hooking of the support onto a carrying support.
According to another embodiment, this support is made of a molded flexible material and comprises an orifice to enable this support to be hooked onto the carrying structure.
According to still another embodiment, the ball-carrying structure according to the invention makes up the appended member of a key-holder ring.
According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a ball-carrying structure comprising a support member having at least one orifice, wherein the support member is adapted to retain a ball.
The support member may be adapted to removably retain the ball. The support member may have a flexible wall which is deformable. The flexible wall may be in the form of a ring. The support member may be a ring. The support member may be a flexible plate. The plate may comprise a plurality of orifices. The ball-carrying structure may further comprise a ring coupled to the support member via a hooking system. The ring may be a key ring and the hooking system may comprise a connecting link and an opening disposed in the support member. The support member may be made of a molded flexible material. The support member may be made of a molded flexible material.
The invention also provides for a ball-carrying structure comprising a key ring adapted to retain keys, a support member in the form of a ring coupled to the key ring and having at least one orifice, and at least one ball disposed in the at least one orifice, wherein the support member is adapted to retain the ball.
The support member may be adapted to removably retain the ball. The ball-carrying structure may further comprise a hooking system coupling the key ring to the support member, the hooking system comprising a connecting link and an opening disposed in the support member.
The invention is also directed to a ball-carrying structure comprising a key ring adapted to retain keys, a support member in the form of a plate coupled to the key ring and having at least one orifice, and at least one ball disposed in the at least one orifice, wherein the support member is adapted to retain the ball.
The support member may be adapted to removably retain the ball. The ball-carrying structure may further comprise a hooking system coupling the key ring to the support member, the hooking system comprising a connecting link and an opening disposed in the support member.